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Numbers 33:4

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 33:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom Jehovah had smitten among them: upon their gods also Jehovah executed judgments.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom Jehovah had smitten among them: upon their gods also Jehovah executed judgments.
Numbers 33:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 33

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Jehovah: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
3And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom Jehovah had smitten among them: upon their gods also Jehovah executed judgments.
5And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
6And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7And they journeyed from Etham, and turned back unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.
← Numbers 33:3Numbers 33:5 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them, etc.] Which contributed much to the more easy and safe deliverance of the children of Israel; for their hearts were heavy with sorrow, and their hands were full, and they had other work to do, namely, to bury their dead, than to molest Israel; and besides, they knew it was for detaining them this stroke came upon them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments; they were moved at the presence, and by the power of God, and fell and were dashed to pieces, as the idols of the same land were in later times, (see <231901>Isaiah 19:1) and this still the more intimidated and frightened the Egyptians, that…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“upon their gods--used either according to Scripture phraseology to denote their rulers (the first-born of the king and his princes) or the idolatrous objects of Egyptian worship.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“This list was written out by Moses at God’s command Numbers 33:2, doubtless as a memorial of God’s providential care for His people throughout this long and trying period. Numbers 33:3-6. For these places, see the marginal reference. Numbers 33:8 Pi-hahiroth - Hebrew “Hahiroth,” but perhaps only by an error of transcription. However, the omitted “pi” is only a common Egyptian prefix. Wilderness of Etham - i. e., that part of the great wilderness of Shur which adjoined Etham; compare Exodus 15:22 note. The list of stations up to that at Sinai agrees with the narrative of Exodus except that we have here mentioned Numbers 33:10 an encampment by the Red Sea, and two others, Dophkah and Alush…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“On their gods - Their false gods, namely those beasts which the brutish Egyptians worshipped as gods, which were killed with the rest, for the first - born both of men and beasts were then killed. Probably their images likewise were thrown down, as Dagon afterward before the ark. Numbers 33:10”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“33:4 defeated the gods of Egypt: See Exod 6:6; 12:12. This historical review draws attention to those special events that forced Pharaoh to allow the Israelite exodus from Egypt.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“buried: Exo 12:29, Exo 12:30; Psa 105:36 upon their gods: Exo 12:12, Exo 18:11; Isa 19:1; Zep 2:11; Rev 12:7-9 Numbers 33:5”
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Related study paths

Read Numbers 33 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification